from what i have heard/read and see on film- sam langford in style is similar to james toney and joe frazier without all the bobbing and weaving.
he could do it all but was very aggressive!

preferred to block punches and was an incredibly imposing presense in the ring much like a george foreman. he always held the centre of the ring from the fights i have seen. i cant imagine him really backing up with his mentality.

just watched his fight with jim fireman, who was holding the centre of the ring- and he was basically kicking the **** out of Jim with uppercuts, turning him with his footwork- punishing him for taking the centre of the ring and eventually knocking him out!

at points during the jeanette fight you can see him backing off, all be it aggressivly.

he took some tactical steps back, even tyson and foreman did that. but on the whole, i noticed sam langford is a come forward aggressive fighter who imposes his will on his opponent, also a very intelligent fighter. and his defense surprised me. in the lang fight you a guy stalking, blocking jabs and right hands with his own right gloves, but he slips punches alot in this fight.

in the fireman jim fight, he used his footwork to maneuver around jim and blast him with uppercuts. in the jeanette fight, his main defense was a cross right arm, elbows and shoulders, occasionally slipping- he reminds me of a older geroge foreman in this fight.

i think for a guy his size fighting at HW, he had to fight inclose- backing his opponent up. if he tried to box going back then he wont be as effective imo- ala cotto vs margarito 1.

He didn't appear to be much of a backfoot boxer ala Willie Pastrano or someone like that, but everything shows the guy had sophisticated in and out movement and lateral movement that set him appart from his peers.